Charlotte has a tough weekend and only secures one win out of the four games played

Senior Haley Pace brings it back to the team after her record breaking home run. Photo by I. Chimena

Following a four-game weekend against Townson and Oakland at the Sue M. Daughtridge Stadium, the Niners walked away disappointed with only one win. They struggled all day Friday and the Tigers captured the first victory of the classic at 7-2. The second game was just as rough, and the Bears stomped off with a 7-4 win. However, the Niners were able to shut out Oakland 8-0 in the first game on Saturday but lost the final game against Townson 4-7.

Game One: Townson 7, Charlotte 2

The Tigers hit the field ready to play on Friday afternoon, and kept Charlotte at bay for the majority of the game. Townson stole two runs from pitcher Haley Wiseman in the first two innings of the game, and then cemented their victory at the top of the sixth by scoring three additional runs.

By the bottom of the seventh, the Tigers had the game pretty much wrapped up at 7-0, until Haley Pace stepped up to the plate. She sent the ball flying out to right field and ordered teammate Bethany Doty home.

With a mark finally up on the scoreboard, Becca Shipper singled through the right side which brought Jude McGough back home. Unfortunately, the Niners were unable to keep the momentum going and the game ended at 7-2.

Game 2: Oakland 7, Charlotte 4

Charlotte took on the Oakland Bears in game two, and put up a good fight, keeping them from a single run until the third inning. The Bears showed their claws in the top of the third to bring home five runs by the end of the inning.

Charlotte reacted by scoring two runs of their own in the bottom of the third when Kiersten Berrier singled on a bunt, and Haley sent her home with a homer out to left field. At the bottom of the fourth, Carson Pace struck out two Bears swinging, and kept the score at 5-2.

When Erin Powers stepped up to the plate in the fourth, she singled up the middle, and advanced to second base on the throw. McGough and Taylor Tompkins found their way back around the mound and scored two more runs for the Niners. The game was at a close 5-4 when the Bears picked up two more runs at the top of the fifth. The last two innings remained scoreless, and the Bears became victorious with the final of 7-4.

Game 3: Charlotte 8, Oakland 0

Saturday was a new day for the Niners when they took the field for their second game against the Bears. They came in swinging and managed to secure two runs in the first inning.

McGough stepped up to bat and singled to the short stop, which gave Berrier enough time to make it from second to home. Shipper was waiting on third, and advanced home on a wild pitch, which gave the 49ers their first lead of the weekend.

Wiseman held off the Bears in the top of the second, and Doty scored the third run of the game in the second inning. With the bases loaded at the bottom of the fourth, Haley made her way to the plate, and doubled to left center, which sent teammates Shipper, Berrier, and Lizzy Birch home. The solid six-point defecate was not enough for the 49ers, so Haley scored another run on a wild pitch, and Harris scored the final run of the game, ending it in the fifth inning.

Game 4: Townson 7, Charlotte 4

The Tigers took charge in the final game of the classic and scored two runs against the Niners in the first inning. Powers singled the ball to the shortstop and gave Shipper the chance to make a run from third.

Townson picked up yet another run at the top of the second, but thanks to two more runs from Tompkins and Emma Ocker, the Niners tied up the game at 3-3. Sadly, it was short lived, and the Tigers recaptured the lead with two additional runs.

McGough scored the final run of the game for the Niners at the bottom of the third, and the Tigers took off with two more runs in the sixth. The game ended with a 7-4 win for the Tigers, and an over-all inadequate weekend for the 49ers.

Although it was not the best weekend for Charlotte softball, it was a prestigious weekend for Haley Pace. Thanks to the homer she hit in game one against Townson, she was able to break the home run record for the school.

The Niners head to Fullerton California this weekend to participate in the Judy Garman Classic, a total of five games from Thursday to Saturday. The action begins on Thursday at 3:00 pm when the 49ers take on the University of Michigan Wolverines.

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Veronica Shoemaker is a sophomore at UNC Charlotte from Livonia Michigan. She packed up her life and moved down to North Carolina to chase a career in NASCAR. She is working towards a Communications and Spanish double-major with a minor in Journalism. She is also a huge sports fan, a part-time artist, and a writer for the Niner Times sport section.

Veronica Shoemaker is a sophomore at UNC Charlotte from Livonia Michigan. She packed up her life and moved down to North Carolina to chase a career in NASCAR. She is working towards a Communications and Spanish double-major with a minor in Journalism. She is also a huge sports fan, a part-time artist, and a writer for the Niner Times sport section.

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